Improve Your Filmmaking with Podcasts

Posted on March 9th, 2017

I love podcasts. The digestible log form audio content really gets me through the day. Why’s this good for the filmmaker? It’s essentially the oldest form of storytelling. And you can listen to podcasts while you’re doing something else.

Story

Podcast have a chance to get you in the first few seconds, and if they don’t you’re fast forwarding. That’s pretty much the stakes of your film at some point of its evolution. After your theatrical run, be it nation wide or at a festival, your stuff’s gonna be on the web and if you don’t grab em… they’ll be gone. Imagine doing that with no pictures!

The old adage is, movies are radio with pictures. We’re in a renaissance of podcasting and storytelling, and everyone can learn something from the best of podcasts and the worst.

Where most podcasts win and most movies lose is with sound design. Some podcasts paint a more clear picture in your head than any but the scariest horror films do. Authors have it easy, they paint part of the picture and the reader fills in the rest. Filmmakers often make the mistake of showing too much, and not letting the audience do some of the work. The main tool the filmmaker has at her or his disposal is sound.

A filmmaker’s voice is often discussed, and the ones we remember have either strong style, or strong voices. Your voice can get you work. It’s what makes your special, and distinct. It can be imitated, but never copied. It’s the “YOU” that can’t be replaced. A couple Podcasts with strong voices include:

There’s a ton going on in the filmmaker space from News, to DIY, to what film festival and grant deadlines are coming up. Why check traps with 15 websites when you can listen to a couple podcasts that keep you up to date on the latest goings on. And then there are the Hollywood history lessons too.

Then there are podcasts that you might happen to really like, that might happen to be able to help you later on down the road if you engage with them as a fan. Especially if you live in LA, it becomes really difficult to get word about your project to the South, East Coast and Mid-West.

As in all things, it doesn’t pay to be fake an phoney. If you’re a fan, and you vibe with a show, let them know you like it. And if they’re out of Montana, and get enthusiastic about the films you make and want to spread the word about what you’re doing… that’s OK too.